Rude Awakeing
by Sugar High5
Summary: Another one of those stories were modern time girl gets transported to Tortall, but this one different, I swear. It's really good! Honest!
1. Where am I?

A/N this is my first Tamora Pierce fanfic, so be critical. My stupid school taught us to like critisism and now I won't take anything less. It's weird, but oh well.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and Tessa so far.  
  
Tessa smiled as she sat down to eat her lunch, gracefully spreading her medieval style skirt around her. She was just getting off of her shift teaching the little kids how to use a bow and arrow at the Medieval Fair in her town. Tessa sighed. 'I wish it could be like this always,' she thought. 'Medieval times are so much fun. Oh, wait! I wish I could be in the Tortall series by Tamora Pierce! That would be fun!'  
  
Tessa sighed again and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and reached way down inside of her, to the little spark of stuff that was Tessa, and Tessa was it. She felt it and pushed with all of her might. Suddenly, she felt a great wrenching, as if some almighty thing was pulling her. She was afraid to open her eyes. Eventually, about the time when Tessa felt like she was about ready to explode, the feeling stopped and Tessa opened her eyes. She definitely was not where she had just been. Instead, she seemed to be outside of a pub of some sort, entitled The Dancing Dove. The name rang a bell inside her head, but she ignored it for now. Instantly, a wave of sickness overcame her. 'I've got to get some medical attention,' she thought as her stomache began to heave. 'Or a toilet.' And hurried into the pub.  
  
She walked in a few steps and leant against the wall, forcing the sickness back long enough for her to find some answers. She stood up tall and strait and walked into the main room of the pub. A wave of noise greeted her. Tessa flung a hand to her head and proceeded to look around for some management. The first sign was of a woman, a rather top-heavy red head, who was telling off a group of men in the corner for, as far as Tessa could tell, having to much to drink and helping themselves to more young ladies than was respectable. Tessa decided to wait until the woman had moved away from those men to approach her.  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am? Could you please tell me where I am?" Tessa asked politely, trying her bet to imitate the native accent.  
  
"Oh, hello, dear. I didn't see you there. Now what was that you said?" the woman asked kindly. Tessa felt another wave of sickness overtake her. She forced it back down as quickly as possible.  
  
"Uh, could we go someplace a little more quiet? It's kinda loud in here," Tessa asked nervously.  
  
"Of course, dear," the woman replied and lead her into a small room in one of the corners that Tessa hadn't noticed before. "Now what was that you said? I'm Rispah, by the way."  
  
"I was wondering if you could tell me where I am."  
  
If the woman (Rispah, did she say it was? Once again, a little bell rang in Tessa's head, and once again, she forced it away for now) thought anything strange of this comment, she kept it to herself. "This is the Dancing Dove Pub in Corus City, Capital of the Kingdom of Tortall," she replied.  
  
Tessa's eyes widened and she fell heavily into a chair. "Tortall, did you say?" she asked faintly.  
  
"Yes, dear. Now what is your name, and where are you from?" Rispah asked, apparently unfazed by Tessa's odd behavior. Suddenly it all became clear. The Dancing Dove was the pub in Corus that The King of the Rouge once lived at, and Rispah was his cousin, the Queen of the Ladies of the Rouge. Tessa had to make up something and fast.  
  
"Uh, I'm Tessy from a small fief northeast of here called Hunter's Ridge," she replied nervously, trying to remember if it had ever mentioned Rispah having the magical Gift in any of the books. She didn't think so, but Tessa wasn't sure.  
  
"Listen. There's been an emergency of some sort back at my village. They sent me here to find someone who could take me to Numair Salmalin. It's very important. Can you help me?" Tessa made up and pretended to explain panickly.  
  
"What sort of emergency?" Rispah asked, her eyes narrowing.  
  
"They didn't tell me. The village just told me to come here and find Numair Salmalin immediately," the lies slid easily off of Tessa's tongue. "Can you find a way for me to meet him?"  
  
Rispah looked at Tessa closely and sighed "Yes, Tessy, I do know a way. It will take a while, but I can get you a meeting with Numair," she said. "I'm busy today, but I can help you tomorrow or so."  
  
That plan presented a problem, Tessa realized.  
  
"Um, ma'am? I don't have any money for lodgings," she explained nervously, afraid that Rispah wouldn't be able to help her.  
  
"Don't worry, Chicklet. You can stay here for a while until you find some more permanent lodgings or you get your little mess straitened out."  
  
"That would be wonderful, thank you so much!" Tessa said excitedly.  
  
"Here. Let me show you to your room," Rispah said with a smile. When they got to the room that was going to be Tessa's, Rispah handed her a key.  
  
"This key has been spelled. No one goes in or out of your room without your say-so," Rispah explained. "But if you lose the key and someone else picks it up, they can come into your room," Rispah thought for a moment. "Why don't you go inside and start to make yourself at home? I'll be right back in a moment." She turned and left. Tessa headed into her new room and immediately made a lunge for the toilet. When she was done being sick, she wiped her mouth on her sleeve and heard the door open. She looked through the door and saw Rispah standing in the door holding a string on one hand and tucking something into her apron pocket with the other.  
  
"Hey! I thought no one could get in here unless I gave them permission!" Tessa exclaimed, having been unnerved after being transported to a (supposedly) fictional place.  
  
"Calm down, Chicklet. I have a companion key. Speaking of which, let me see yours."  
  
"No! Why?" Tessa shouted. She wasn't entirely sure she trusted the Queen of the Ladies of the Rouge.  
  
"I'm not going to take it, Chicklet," Rispah said, thoroughly amused. "I am going to thread this string through it though, so you can wear it around your neck."  
  
"Oh. Okay. Sorry. I was raised not to trust anyone. By the way, what is that you keep calling me?"  
  
"'Chicklet'. It's because you remind me of a newborn chick. Lost and confused and a bit jittery." Rispah explained. Tessa decided to take it as a compliment.  
  
"Why don't you get some rest? It's going to be a long day tomorrow," Rispah said kindly. Suddenly her face came over with realization. "Oh! You don't have any clothes, do you Chicklet?"  
  
Tessa shook her head.  
  
"Well, for tonight you'll have to sleep in your under things. Give me your clothes and I'll wash them for you. Also, I'll cut a couple of my things down until you get the chance to go shopping."  
  
Tessa smiled gratefully and murmured a 'Thank you'. She stripped off her clothes and handed them to the Queen of the Ladies of the Rouge. Tessa climbed into bed and was asleep before her head hit the pillow. A/N long chapter, I know, but oh well (I've noticed I say that a lot). The next one will be shorter. ~ Sugar High 


	2. Not a morning person

A/N Akay, here's the next chapter. I've decided to make it a romance fic, but I'm not telling who unless you can guess my full name. I'll tell you by way of email. And thanks to the TWO PEOPLE who reviewed. Honestly people, you can do better than that. ~ Sugar High  
  
The next day, Tessa awoke to sunlight streaming through the window across the room. She sat up with a groan. She couldn't recall ever being as tired as she had been last night. At that point, the door opened a crack and a fiery headed woman looked in.  
  
"Oh, your up, are you? Well, I washed your clothes and cut some of mine down. I'll get your bath ready in a second. When you're finished bathing, come downstairs and I'll have a breakfast ready for you. Then we're off to the stables to find you a mount so we can ride up to the palace and get you to Master Salmalin," Rispah said, all business.  
  
Tessa (not a morning person at all) muttered, "What time is it?"  
  
"Around eight in the morning. Now get out of bed."  
  
"Come back at eight at night then try to get me up. I might be a little more willing." Tessa replied groggily and lay back down, pulling the covers over her head in the process.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Rispah said and scurried over. She janked the covers off of Tessa and picked the sleepy girl up from under the arms, setting her feet on the floor. She was suprisingly strong for a woman of her age.  
  
"Fine, fine. But only because I like you." Tessa said, gaining a little of her natural humor back. "But hurry up with the bath. If I wait too long, I might go back to sleep. I don't even like my mother that much."  
  
Rispah laughed and assured Tessa she'd hurry, and within minutes, a warm bath was sitting in the corner.  
  
"That was good, but next time I'll time you." Tessa said jokingly.  
  
"Alright, but be warned. I can be horribly fast when I want to." Rispah joked back. "Now get in your bath. I'll leave if that'd make you more comfortable."  
  
Tessa smiled and nodded. As soon as Rispah closed her door, Tessa striped off her bra and pants and climbed into the bathtub. The warm water did wonders for her aching muscles.  
  
"I wonder why I'm so sore," Tessa thought aloud. "I kinda feel like I crossed between Realms. Oh, well. I'll ask Numair, er. Master Salmalin about it later. Right now I just want to enjoy this bath."  
  
A/N I told you I'd be shorter. 


	3. Cant keep her head

A/N Okay, here is my long awaited for next chapter. Im really sorry it took me so long; I moved and I had a difficult time with it. I still havent found all of my books. Well, here it is. Ill try and promise that there wont be another horrible long wait again. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, guys, you all rock. No one had anything really terrible to say! I was amazed! Well, read and enjoy!  
  
Several hours later, Tessa was washed and dressed in the finest outfit in her stack. She also gone to a hairdresser and had her hair done in a beautiful style the hairdresser had fondly christened the Crown Cascade. Now she was in the stables to pick out a mount to ride to the palace on. Tessa strolled through the wide lane lined with horse stalls, the smell of horse feed and manure filling her nostrils. Towards the end of the stall she noticed a horse that seemed apart from all of the rest. She was a beautiful chestnut mare with chocolatey eyes flecked with green. Around her ankles she had white socks, the same kind as the horse Tessa always rode when she went riding with her mother in the summer.  
  
"So you like that one, eh?" a hostler asked from behind Tessa.  
  
"Yes. She's lovely," Tessa said dreamily.  
  
"She's a beauty, all right. Her name's Moondancer."  
  
"Moondancer," Tessa breathed. The name sounded like a breathe on the wind. "I think I'd like to ride her for today. How much is her rent?"  
  
"A silver crown for the horse and tack each," the hostler replied. "You can pay me half now and half later. Or you can buy her from me for five silver crowns."  
  
Tessa fished a silver crown out of the money Rispah had given her. "Thank you. I'll pay you the rest as soon as I can get her back to you." She told the hostler, who took the money with a bow. Tessa fitted the horse with her tack and walked her out of the stall.  
  
"So, have you found a suitable mount?" Rispah asked  
  
"Yes, I did. What do you think?" Tessa asked proudly. Rispah whistled, clearly impressed.  
  
"She's definitely a beauty. I wouldn't be suprised if everyone mistook you for a high-up noble when you ride in on her." Rispah eyed the horse. "Very high up."  
  
Tessa laughed. "I doubt that. Lets just go and get this over with. I'm really starting to get nervous."  
  
"Why's that, Chicklet? He's only a mage."  
  
"Only a mage. He's only the most powerful mage around. I mean, HE TURNED SOMEONE INTO A TREE!!!!! (A/N I never really got over that one…..)" Tessa roared, her anxiety showing through.  
  
"Well, that aside, he's still just a mage." Rispah said evenly.  
  
Tessa mounted her horse, muttering under her breath about magic and trees and how the two should never be mixed.  
  
Rispah sighed openly. Tessa was going to have to learn to keep an even head if she was going to survive in Corus.  
  
A/N there it was. I had writers block at the end, so im sorry if it sucks. One more thing, Id really 'preiciate it if youd read my HP story. Im updating it too. And as always, PLEASE REVIEW! 


End file.
